Bramall Hall

This magical Tudor manor house is set in more than 50 acres of parkland with lakes, woods and gardens. The house contains 16th century wall paintings, fine Elizabethan plaster ceilings, Victorian kitchens and servants' quarters. Today, Bramall Hall functions as a museum, and its landscaped parkland is open to the public.

• Web:

  www.stockport.gov.uk/topic/bramall-hall

• Address:

  Bramhall Park, Stockport, Greater Manchester

• More info:

  The hall reopened in 2016 following a £1.6 million renovation.

Chester Zoo

Chester Zoo is home to over 21,000 endangered and exotic animals based in beautiful, award-winning gardens and is the nearest large zoo to Manchester. With over 500 different animal species in their 125 acres, visitors are sure to have an adventure discovering and learning about the amazing wildlife. Conservation and education are at the heart of everything at Chester Zoo. They are committed to providing the highest standards of care for their animals as well as protecting native and international wildlife. Their team of expert and knowledgeable staff work hard to prevent extinction and are passionate about connecting visitors to the natural world. Chester Zoo has a variety of tours and hands-on experiences as well as daily animal talks to guarantee a day full of animal adventure. Stop for a snack at one of their many restaurants, cafes, and kiosks - including their recently refurbished contemporary British pub, The Oakfield. It's a huge zoo, but there are plenty of options for getting around, including the Zoofari Monorail and the Lazy River Boat Trip on the Islands. Don’t forget to stop in at the gift shop on your way out for a souvenir of your trip.

• Web:

  www.chesterzoo.org

• E-mail:

  guest.services@chesterzoo.org

• Address:

  Chester Zoo, Upton-by-Chester, Chester, CH2

• Phone:

  +44 1244 380280

• Opening hours:

  Daily 10am–4pm

Chill Factore

Looking for a family day out packed with excitement and bursting with fun? Look no further than Manchester's indoor real snow centre, Chill Factore. Guaranteed to get the whole family away from their screens, Snow Park is the perfect real snow activity for all the family. Prepare for bumps of the Downhill Donuts, the twists and turns of the Luge Slip ‘n’ Slide, and the Snow Luge. What’s a fun day out without a bit of family competition? Choose your favourite sledge and race to see who’s king and queen of the slope!

• Web:

  www.chillfactore.com

• E-mail:

  info@chillfactore.com

• Address:

  7 Trafford Way, Trafford Park, Stretford, Manchester M41 7JA

• Phone:

  +44 161 749 2222

Chinatown

Manchester’s Chinese district is one of the largest in Europe. Top-class restaurants nestle side by side with real street food establishments. You will also find Korean, Thai and Indonesian shops and restaurants here.

• Web:

  www.visitmanchester.com/things-to-see-and-do/chinatown-p275031

• Address:

  Faulkner Street, Manchester, Lancs, M1 4FH

City Centre Cruises

Get a slightly different perspective of Manchester on a canal cruise. Flow along the Manchester Canals and see the most important and beautiful sights of the city while enjoying a buffet or drink on board.

• Web:

  www.citycentrecruises.co.uk

• E-mail:

  boat@citycentrecruises.co.uk

• Address:

  Liverpool Road, Castlefield, Manchester

• Phone:

  +44 161 902 0222

• Opening hours:

  Mon–Fri 10am–5pm

Coronation Street Tour

ITV have opened their outdoor Coronation Street sets at MediaCityUK to the public, including the world-famous cobbled street. The experience lasts around 80 minutes taking in Coronation Street, Rosamund Street and the newly extended Victoria Street, with plenty of opportunities for photos. Visitors will walk in the footsteps of the famous residents, discover filming secrets and hear stories of their favourite characters.

• Web:

  www.coronationstreetexperience.co.uk

• Address:

  The Studios from Dock 10, MediaCityUK, Trafford, Greater Manchester

• Phone:

  +44 871 222 8223

• Opening hours:

  Tours run between 9am and 6pm on selected weekend days only, when cast and crew have downed scripts for the weekend.

Just So Festival (August)

With a love of stories and childhood escapades at its heart, Just So Festival enables families to step out of their day to day lives and into a wonderland of world class literature, arts, theatre, dance, music, comedy and creative pursuits together. Underpinned by the Carnival of the Animals, the most bonkers competition in the land, it takes audiences (from bumps to great grandparents) on a unique expedition of mischief and mayhem, to lands full of magical midnight feasts, curious creatures, raucous pillow fights, hidden retreats, top notch food, drink and boutique camping options and breathtaking beauty.

• Web:

  justsofestival.org.uk

• E-mail:

  hello@justsofestival.org.uk

• Address:

  Rode Hall Estate, Scholar Green, Cheshire

Lanterns & Light at Chester Zoo (November & December)

Every winter holiday season, get ready to enter the mesmerising, fantastical worlds, bursting with colour and brimming with animal-inspired illuminations and traditional festive scenes. It's an experience that will leave you with that cosy, warm glow inside. Colourful Butterfly Garden, the authentic allure of Nordic markets, twinkling Christmas trees and a magical ice kingdom — all uniting with our favourite animal lanterns from Christmases past.

• Web:

  www.chesterzoo.org/events/the-lanterns-at-chester-zoo

• Address:

  Chester Zoo, Caughall Road, Upton, Chester, Cheshire

Manchester Craft Beer Festival (July)

Manchester Craft Beer Festival, Manchester's only city-wide beer festival, allows you to explore Manchester's thriving artisanal beer scene, alongside food, art and music.

• Web:

  manchestercraftbeerfestival.com

• Address:

  Depot Mayfield, 11 Baring Street, Manchester

Manchester Film Festival (March)

Manchester Film Festival is a truly independent film festival, committed and dedicated to sharing great stories from both new and established international and domestic filmmakers from the world of independent cinema.

• Web:

  maniff.com

• Address:

  Odeon Manchester, Great Northern, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M3 4EN

Manchester International Festival (July)

Manchester International Festival (MIF) is the world’s first festival of original, new work and special events. The Festival is staged every two years in Manchester. The first MIF launched in 2007 as an artist-led festival presenting new works from across the spectrum of performing arts, visual arts and popular culture. We’ve commissioned, produced and presented world premieres by artists as diverse as Björk, Steve McQueen, Robert Wilson, Wayne McGregor, Maxine Peake, The xx, Zaha Hadid Architects, Damon Albarn, Punchdrunk, Elbow and Marina Abramović, among many others.

• Web:

  factoryinternational.org

• Address:

  Various locations across Manchester

• Opening hours:

  End of June to mid-July

Manchester Jazz Festival (May)

The award-winning Manchester Jazz Festival (mjf) is back to the city every May. The main festival hub will now run the length of St Ann’s Square to New Cathedral Street with a host of free music stages and bars. As always, gigs will also be staged in venues across the city. For the first time, mjf have teamed up with Manchester Food and Drink Festival, who will curate an exciting mix of culinary offers along the festival hub.

• Web:

  manchesterjazz.com

• Address:

  St Anns Square, New Cathedral Street, Manchester

• Phone:

  +44 161 393 4367